Around the Riverbend
by raincaster
Summary: song fics of random scenes from Avatar, some from the movie, others missing scenes. Not in order of the movie. Please review and tell me what you think!
1. Around the Riverbend

**Around the Riverbend **

**(Pocahontas Soundtrack)**

Neytiri raced along the river bank, taking in the moment of peace. Thoughts plagued her as she felt the cool water against her bare rough feet. She loved the water; peaceful, yet so free. How she wished that she could be like that.

_What I love most about rivers is  
You can't step in the same river twice  
The water's always changing, always flowing  
_

She knew what was expected of her. That hadn't changed. She knew that she had to choose what was right for her clan, no matter the price to herself. Even if it meant mating with a man that was like an older brother.

_But People, I guess, can't live like that  
We all must pay a price  
To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing  
What's around the riverbend  
Waiting just around the riverbend_

But she still decided to go to the Tree of Voices, which was just around the riverbend. Because there was still time for her to pray for an escape from a price she knew she had a duty to pay._  
_

_  
I look once more  
Just around the riverbend  
Beyond the shore  
Where the _ikrans_ fly free  
Don't know what for  
What I dream the day might send  
Jut around the riverbend  
For me  
Coming for me_

Neytiri felt as if there was more out there waiting for her. Eywa had to have more planned for her then her to be one with Tsu'tey and become _Tshahik. _She was honored that she was to be her All Mother's messenger after her own mother died, but she felt that Eywa knew her heart better. She didn't want the traditional settling down with the male that chose you. She didn't want the traditional one must do their duty. She wanted to be her own person who made her own choices. And Neytiri felt that if there was a chance for her desire to come true, it would start just around the riverbend.

_I feel it there beyond those trees  
Or right behind these waterfalls_

Could she really ignore her duty and not mate with Tsu'tey? It wasn't that he was cruel or undesirable; quite the opposite. Her future mate was proud warrior and future _Olo'eytkan._ He held himself with pride and a certain air of arrogance. He was handsome in Na'vi standards and had been kind to her for all of her life. Many of the other Na'vi females would think she was insane if she refused him. But she didn't care. They could think she was insane. The truth was, Tsu'tey didn't See her; he may act kind to her, but he didn't act as she had a mind of her own. He still took for granted that they were intended and treated it like he would treat getting a prized bow._  
_

_Can I ignore that sound of distant drumming  
For a handsome sturdy mate  
Who builds handsome sturdy walls  
And never dreams that something might be coming?  
Just around the riverbend  
Just around the riverbend_

She sighed, telling herself that this was her last time. After this, if Eywa didn't give her a sign, she would come to terms with her duty and face Tsu'tey. She would face her duty.

_I look once more  
Just around the riverbend  
Beyond the shore  
Somewhere past the sea  
Don't know what for ...  
Why do all my dreams extend  
Just around the riverbend?  
Just around the riverbend...  
_

Her father was always telling her to choose the smoothest course for the People. She had always been told to keep the balance as steady as a beating drum. No matter the cost. No matter her dreams. And when she took her last look around the bend… she got nothing.

_  
Should I choose the smoothest course  
Steady as the beating drum?  
Should I mate with Tsu'tey?  
Is all my dreaming at an end?  
_

Later that night, both to protect her People and to avoid Tsu'tey, she followed a lone male dreamwalker through the night. She had originally planned to kill him swiftly, but Eywa had stopped her by sending a sacred seed onto her posed arrow…Neytiri didn't get why he seemed surprised to find a pack of viper wolves surrounding him with all the noise he was making and the unnecessary torch he had. _Skxawng._ But she saw the recklessly brave soul in his bright amber eyes. She saw the wild, yet naïve spirit as she heard him challenge the approaching pack. _. _She entered the brawl, saved the dreamwalker and tossed his dumb torch into the river…

_Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver  
Just around the riverbend?_


	2. Colors of the Wind

**Colors of the Wind**

**(Pocahontas Soundtrack)  
**

Neytiri studied the warrior dreamwalker called Jake Sully in front of her. He knew much; she couldn't deny that. For this dreamwalker had traveled far from his home planet to now be standing in front of her. He knew of a whole other world that she would never begin to imagine. And now she was to teach him all she knew of her world. First though, she had to make him See it. For as long as he thought she and her People were just mindless savages, they would get nowhere. Jake Sully knew much, yet he Saw so little.

_You think I'm an ignorant savage  
And you've been so many places  
I guess it must be so  
But still I cannot see  
If the savage one is me  
How can there be so much that you don't know?  
You don't know ..._

She wondered how the Sky people thought that they a right to own the land. This was the first myth she must correct for Jake to See. Neytiri impatiently grabbed his hand and led him out to the thick forest, leaping from branch to branch to test and expand his physical and mental strength. As she pointed to each living thing she called out its name and briefed the dreamwalker on its purpose in the Eywa's balance. She called out to a _pa'li_, an old, patient mare, and helped Jake mount her and form the bond. The Na'vi princess couldn't help but grin as she saw his face light up in awe as he felt the connection of his spirit with the _pa'li's_. Jake now had his first taste of being what it meant to be Na'vi. He was learning.

_You think you own whatever land you land on  
The land is just a dead thing you can claim  
But I know every rock and tree and creature  
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name  
_

Later holding up two of her fingers to her mouth to signal silence, Neytiri motioned Jake to come forward and look at what was beyond the green that she gently pushed aside. When she had first met him, he had been attacked by a pack of _nantang. _She remembered his bemusement when she had scolded him for thanking her after she had killed them to save him. Second myth she must correct for Jake to See: his kind was the only People. They had little brothers and little sisters all around them living in harmony with one another. When Jake kneeled beside her, Neytiri guided his gaze slightly to the left. Then he saw them: a mother _nantang_ with her young, most of them nursing as the mother tried to hold one still as she bathed him with her tongue. Neytiri heard Jake hold back a snort of laughter and grin as he watched the cub attempting to avoid his bath. Her pupil was learning.

_  
You think the only people who are people  
Are the people who look and think like you  
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger  
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew  
_

Continuing on, Neytiri taught him tracking, pointing out each of the smallest signs. A fresh footprint could mean that your prey was near. A rustled bush could mean a predator was near. A simple howl could mean sign of a ready harvest. Third myth she must correct in order for Jake to See: Nature's signs were useless. Freezing, Neytiri once again grabbed her pupil's hand and tugged him behind the thick trees. Ignoring Jake's surprised expression, she peered out from the trunk and watched as a _palulukan_ walked passed where they had just stood, clearly coming back from a hunt. Ordering her pupil to smell, Neytiri asked Jake if he knew any others were behind the one that just passed. Sighing, Jake took in a deep breath, taking in the smells of the forest. Looking back at her, he shook his head. Neytiri nodded in approval; that was exactly her conclusion as well. Jake was learning.

_  
Have you ever heard the _palulukan _cry to the blue corn moon  
Or asked the grinning _prolemuris _why he grinned?  
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?  
_

She once again had her student test his mental and physical strength as the two of them traveled by swinging through the vines. Ordering Jake to let go after he her, Neytiri released her vine and used the leaves below her to slow her fall and guide her way to the forest floor. When she landed, she grabbed a piece of fruit and took a bite as she looked up to watch for Jake… only to see his bow crashing at her feet. _Oh Eywa…_sure enough, Jake Sully came crashing down after his bow; Neytiri winced as she heard the resounding _thud_ as he hit the ground. Despite his fall, Jake got right back up, and Neytiri tossed him a piece of fruit. Another myth she had to correct for Jake to See: the worth of riches were everything. Neytiri smiled as she saw Jake grin as he took a bite of the sweet juices. He was learning.

_  
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest  
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth  
Come roll in all the riches all around you  
And for once, never wonder what they're worth  
_

Next she showed him the wonders of the water and of the air. Fifth myth she had to correct for Jake to See: Everything was out to kill you and there was no wonder. Together they swam through the waters and Neytiri had Jake gently touch each plant and each fish. Later she grabbed her flying gear and took Jake up into the canopy. Calling Sese, her _ikran_, she told Jake of the bond of hunter and _ikran_, explaining that they would carry only one hunter for life. Mounting Sese, she let out a shrill cry of joy as she soared through the air. Meeting Jake's eyes for a moment, she saw his excitement at the idea that one day that would be him upon the wind. Neytiri grinned and gently guided Sese to fly right over Jake to tease him. Her pupil was learning.

_  
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers  
The _pa'li_ and the _ikran_ are my friends  
And we are all connected to each other  
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends  
_

Jake was always amazed at how big every plant was, especially Hometree. Neytiri couldn't help but grin each time she saw those amber eyes light up in wonder. A myth that she must correct for Jake to See: assume you know the answers. Once, Jake had asked her if Hometree was done or if it had more time to grow. The princess was surprised by this question but calmly replied that she didn't know. When the dreamwalker had gone on to tell her how they had cut down the trees on his planet, Neytiri shook her head in shock. Sky People were insane. But each and every time Neytiri and Jake returned to Hometree, Neytiri would glance at Jake's look of awe at the ancient tree. Her dreamwalker was learning._  
_

_How high will the sycamore grow?  
If you cut it down, then you'll never know  
And you'll never hear the _palulukan _cry to the blue corn moon  
_

Quietly, Neytiri approached Jake and reached out for his hand. The dreamwalker looked a little bewildered but took his mentor's four fingered hand into his five fingered grasp. "I'm proud of you Jake," The princess told him softly, almost as if she was afraid of saying anything more. "You have learned to See." Looking back down at her pupil's hand, she watched in silent amazement as a soft wind blew over their clasped hands, Jake's hand turned from a rough blue to a soft pale white. But this vision disappeared as fast as it came and Neytiri didn't speak of it. Then she realized that there had been another myth… one that they both had to teach each other in order to See: Cultural and racial differences mattered. But they didn't. It wasn't the body outside that counted, it was the spirit within. She met Jake's intense amber gaze and then looked away. Without knowing it, this dreamwalker had taught her to See… in learning, Jake had taught her as well.

_  
For whether we are white or cobalt skinned  
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains  
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind  
_

Neytiri used to hate all Sky People. For Sky People had reached out to them like friends… only to invade and kill her kin and home. Yet, in front of her was a dream walker, a sky people. And he had learned to See. He had learned to be Na'vi. He would choose his _ikran_ the next sunrise and Neytiri couldn't have been prouder. Jake Sully had taught her more then she could have possibly imagined herself teaching him.

_  
You can own the Earth and still  
All you'll own is Earth until  
You can paint with all the colors of the wind_


	3. Brothers Under the Sun

**Brothers Under the Sun**

**(Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack)  
**

Jake Sully watched as the powerful _toruk _flew higher and higher into the air, flying free. There was no place for the mighty warrior in a time of peace. For the Sky War had ended and the young dreamwalker knew there was no need for_ toruk makto._ Yet he still felt the connection between them. He could feel its power wings beat against the western winds and its pounding heart drum in time with his own. _Turok _and rider were of the same heart and spirit. Together they had flown upon wings of fire against those who wished their land harm.

_I had a dream - of the thick green forests  
I had a dream - of the pale morning sky  
I had a dream - that we flew on golden wings  
And we were the same - just the same - you and I  
_

But despite their connection, their bond, the _toruk _was meant to be wild and free. The fierce creature was never meant to be tamed. So Jake had let it go. He hoped his Last Shadow would find its way back home among the whispering western wind. But he hoped that the _toruk_ wouldn't forget him, the dreamwalker that had fought with him for their land. For _toruk _and rider were brother spirits – he of the land and the _toruk_ of the sky -- wild and free.

_Follow your heart - little child of the west wind  
Follow the voice - that's calling you home  
Follow your dreams - but always, remember me  
I am your brother - under the sun_

He remembered as he mounted the _toruk _ for one last flight before he made himself release it. Jake wouldn't forget the deep look of the creature's four eyes as it stared back at him. It was as though the _toruk _knew his plans and was begging Jake to stay. But Jake couldn't do that to the majestic dragon. Their hearts were forever joined and Jake knew that both of their hearts wanted to be wild and free. But it was that look in which Jake knew that the _toruk_ would never forget him. The creature too would forever feel their brother spirits.

_We are like birds of a feather  
We are two hearts joined together  
We will be forever as one  
My brother under the sun  
_

Jake wondered what the _toruk _would do now that it had flown with him into battle and then set free. He pondered at the wonders it would see from above. Somehow, he thought the creature would be curious of what his future held too. Because they were only a heartbeat away from each other… with just one heartbeat and a call, the two brother spirits would rise into the vast skies once more.

_  
Wherever you hear - the wind in the leaves  
Wherever you see - the _Yerik _run  
Wherever you go - I'll be there beside you  
Cos you are my brother - my brother under the sun_


	4. Sound the Bugle

**Sound the Bugle **

**(Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack)  
**

Nothing could make Jake feel any worse then what he felt already. Not even Grace's rant on how he had delivered the Na'vi on a silver platter as she, Norm and himself sat trapped in a glass prison. Because he knew that already. He knew it was his fault that Hometree had been destroyed, that his adopted People were homeless, that his mate's father was dead. He knew of the blood that now stained his hands…all because he had been so Blind. And when he finally could See, it had been too late. He had done the damage and he couldn't take it back.

_Sound the bugle now... play it just for me  
As the seasons change... remember how I used to be  
Now I can't go on...I can't even start  
I've got nothing left... just an empty heart.  
_

Jake had become something he could be proud of the past three months. He had become a member and warrior of the Omaticaya. He had fallen in love and became mates with the bravest, most passionate woman he'd ever known. And he blew it. He blew and now he had nothing… unless one counted his broken heart, wounded beyond repair.

_  
I'm a soldier... wounded so I must give up the fight  
There's nothing more for me... lead me away  
Or leave me lying here  
_

So he became numb to his emotional wounds. The RDA could do anything to him now… he didn't care. He was nothing without his adopted land, his adopted People, without his Neytiri. The colonel had made sure to lock him up without hope. And he didn't know how he'd ever escape. Without the hope of his new found love of this new found land, he was in darkness, falling.

_  
Sound the bugle now... tell them I don't care  
There's not a road I know that leads to anywhere  
Without a light, I fear that I will stumble in the dark  
Lay right down and decide not to go on_

"_**I will catch you, my son, just remember who you are." **_

Jake jumped as he heard the maternal voice whisper in his ear. Glancing at Grace and Norm, it was obvious that they hadn't heard it. They weren't freaking out over some bodiless voice in their heads. Maybe he was going crazy, but Jake also felt a gentle four fingered hand on his shoulder. Strangely, he was comforted. "_**Just remember who you are…" **_He was Jake Sully, human yet Na'vi. He was Tom's younger twin brother and Neytiri's mate. He was a soldier, a warrior, brave and loyal. Hope and courage slowly started to come back to him as he reflected on all he was and all he wanted to be.

_Then from on high, somewhere in the distance There's a voice that calls,  
"Remember who you are... if you lose yourself,  
Your courage soon will follow,  
So be strong tonight... remember who you are"_

Trudy came and knocked their guard out. As Max was called to let them out, Jake felt energized, hopeful and ready. He had become a marine for the hardship and had been in search for something worth fighting for. He was a soldier, a warrior, and he was prepared for battle. He was prepared to fight for his People's freedom from the RDA's destructive path; he was ready to battle for his new found life. But first he had to battle to make it to Trudy's Samson to be free of the RDA himself. And it was worth it. 

_Yeah, you're a soldier now,  
Fighting in a battle,  
To be free once more.  
Yeah, that's worth fighting for_


	5. Nothing I Have Ever Known

**Nothing I Have Ever Known**

**(Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack)  
**

If someone had told Jake all that had happened while he was on Pandora _before_ Venezuela, _before_ Tom's death, he would have asked what the hell they had been smoking. He wasn't the scientist; Tom was. So why would Jake be an avatar driver? Jake had never really thought much of the Na'vi, so how would he think that he would spy on them only to fell in love with their princess and go native? And he was a strong, loyal, disciplined marine, so why would he become _toruk makto_ and lead the Na'vi against the military? It'd never happen… but it did. Jake had never believed in fate before; it was too much like a wind blowing a leaf around. And Jake never felt like being a leaf. He had always wanted control of his own life. That was before he lost his legs. That was before Tom died. That was before Pandora. Now though… so much had changed.

_Right now I feel - just like a leaf on a breeze  
Who knows where it's blowin'  
Who knows where it's goin'  
I find myself somewhere I - I never thought I'd be  
Going round in circles  
Thinking about you and me  
How do I explain it when I don't know what to say  
What do I do now - so much has changed  
_

He was lying underneath the Tree of Souls, waiting to be transferred into his avatar permanently. Neytiri held his hand, stroking his rough palm and tracing each of his five fingers. Her touch electrified him, giving him so much hope on what he had previously given up on after he had been told he would never stand again. Who would fall in love with a bitter crippled ex marine? Neytiri had. Even when she saw him weak and vulnerable she had still took his hand and said those live changing words: _I see you._ He had never felt anything as powerful as when he heard those words in that moment. Jake felt the vines connect to his body and a chorus of voices crashed into his mind. The People circling around him, calling to him; they were calling him home to them. They really loved him, they loved his spirit and they forgave him for all he had done… just as Neytiri had done for him. Jake sent up one final prayer to Eywa as a sky person. The People wanted him. Neytiri wanted him. And Jake wanted to stay with them, to walk among them as their own. Nothing else could fill his spirit more, because this feeling was like nothing he'd ever known.

_  
Nothing I have ever known - has made me feel this way  
Nothing I have ever seen - has made me want to stay  
but here I am - ready for you  
I'm turnin', I'm fallin' - I hear my home callin'  
Hey - I've never felt somethin's so strong - oh no  
It's like nothing I've ever known  
_

All he ever wanted was something to fight for. And he found it in Pandora; he found it in the land, in the People, in Neytiri. The whole journey to this planet had given him want he had needed. This love, this life was all he needed. Neytiri had shown him that. He believed that he had not only found something to fight for, but also where he truly belonged. Here on this land, among these People, alongside Neytiri with Eywa watching over them. The humans that had left Pandora had looked at him in disgust and betrayal; they clearly couldn't See what he had discovered. They didn't know the life of this place. Jake knew it though, and the strength it poured into him… he had never known anything like it. This had to be where he belonged. With one last breath as a human, Jake closed his blue eyes and reached out for the All Mother and reached out towards his new birth.

_  
Now you're the one I'm looking for  
You're the one I need  
You're the one that gives me - a reason to believe  
Following a star - has lead to where you are  
It feels so strong now - this can't be wrong now_


	6. Haunted

Three days. Three long painful days Neytiri sat beneath the Tree of Souls crying out to the All Mother. How could Jake have lied to her all this time? How could he say he loved her, Saw her and yet let the sky people destroy her home, murder her clan? Jake had said that everything had changed… how was she suppose react to that? How could she forgive him for his deceit and betrayal before _everything changed_? Despite all those questions, all those mixed emotions, all Neytiri wanted was Jake. She wanted his easy laughter and smile. She wanted his comforting arms. But most of all, she wanted to feel his strong spirit brightening up her own.

_Louder, louder, the voices in my head  
Whispers taunting, all the things you said  
Faster the days go by and I'm still  
Stuck in this moment of wanting you here  
_

Had it only been three days since they confessed they loved each other, Saw each other? Had it only been three days since Jake had taken her breath away starting with one kiss that led to_ Tsahaylu_? Had it only been three days since Jake showed her what life could be, should be, and then took it all away with his revelation of his original purpose as a spy among the clan? Had it only been three days since Jake was forced back into his sky people body, leaving her forever among a broken People? Neytiri tried to stay strong for her People and not let her pain show, but inside she shook with pain and tears. All that had happened so fast seemed so long ago.

_  
Time in the blink of an eye  
You held my hand, you held me tight  
Now you're gone and I'm still crying  
Shocked, broken, I'm dying inside  
_

She needed Jake, the dreamwalker who had become the Na'vi she had come to love. She had never felt as alone as she did while she prayed underneath the Tree of Souls, among a broken People. She wanted to hear his soothing voice, contiguous laughter. She wanted to feel his gentle touch, his wild spirit. She wanted _him._ Because she felt like she was dying, slowly and painfully without any hope of revival.

_  
Where are you? I need you  
Don't leave me here on my own  
Speak to me, be near me  
I can't survive unless I know you're with me  
_

Yet despite it all, she could feel a shadow of Jake's spirit; it was as sorrowful and hopeless of she felt. Broken, desperate. Why had his people torn them apart like this? They had done nothing wrong to the sky people. Jake had only found her world, and she had found his. And they had merged together. Was that so wrong? Yet she wanted what she could feel of Jake to stay. She wanted this _Tsahaylu _to survive. It was Neytiri's only reminder that Jake had been real, had been hers.

_  
Shadows linger only to my eye  
I see you, I feel you, don't leave my side  
It's not fair, just when I found my world  
They took you, they broke you, they tore out your heart  
_

Neytiri wanted Jake, she missed Jake. She loved him yet she hated him for turning his back on her world. What had she missed? Why was she so mistaken about him? What sadness, what desire had he held that enabled him to hide such a secret for so long? Neytiri had been so caught up in teaching him her ways that she never thought to ask him of his own, of his other life in his other body. Who was the real Jake? The dreamwalker that she had fallen in love with or the mysterious sky person she had yet to meet? Had Jake been wearing a disguise all this time?

_  
I miss you, you hurt me, you left with a smile  
Mistaken, your sadness was hiding inside  
Now all that's left are the pieces to find  
The mystery you kept, the soul behind a guise_

As more questions poured into her mind, the worse the bitterness and pain became. All of her life she had enjoyed flight. She had enjoyed the feel of soaring happily on the wind's breath upon her Sese. These emotions of pain and betrayal were of such she never felt before, even with her sister's death all those years ago. Jake had lifted her to new heights… only to allow her to fall into the deep trench.

_  
Why did you go?  
All these questions run through my mind  
I wish I couldn't feel at all  
Let me be numb, I'm starting to fall  
_

Neytiri wanted Jake, the dreamwalking Na'vi she had come to love and See. She needed him, he was her love, her breath, her life. With each smile and laugh Jake had woken up something she had long forgotten since her sister murder. She wanted that back. She wanted _him _back.

_  
Where are you?  
(I can't survive unless I know you're with me)  
You were smiling  
You were smiling  
You were smiling_


	7. Treasure

**AN: This is a little different because it's after the movie. I also changed the lyrics a little to fit the story better. Enjoy!**

"Treasure"

Flyleaf

"_Sa'nu_, how is it to fall in love?" The little Na'vi girl curled up so that her head rested against her mother's heartbeat. Neytiri sighed with a small smile; her father had been telling her all of the sky people's princess stories that he could remember from his childhood. Many of them were so silly too – the weak princess saved by the strong warrior, they rode off to a castle, and they lived happily ever after. However there were quite a few with strong young women which made Neytiri sit with her child and listen during Jake's story time: the brave Belle saving the Beast, or the strong Pocahontas coming between her father's club and the opposing clan warrior. Then there was the stubborn Mulan taking her father's place in the army and determined Ariel stopping the mating of Prince Eric and the sea witch…

They all had some sort of love story in them; so naturally, her daughter would like her to explain the beloved emotion. Neytiri nodded and begun to rock little Sylwanin back and forth in a steady rhythm. And she started to sing her nightly lullaby, thinking of her own love story…

"_Can I tell you a story as we dance while the sun starts to bleed  
Song of songs love is calling daughter wake up from your sleep_

She had been so numb for so long. Ever since her older sister's murder, Neytiri had frozen into a cold, bitter hunter. When her sister Sylwanin had been killed, her innocent, fun loving spirit had been killed with her. She had been only a sleeping version of what she once was. __

"Refined you'll become the most dazzling precious treasure  
You'll be treasured over all the earth  


She hadn't known that there would be a way that her spirit would be revived once more. She hadn't known that Eywa had had a plan to refine her into a priceless treasure…

"_Bearing the gift of a new heart  
Patience ablaze you're slowly burning_

When Jake first came to the clan, she had been wary of him; he was sky people, the clan that killed Sylwanin. But Jake had proven to be something different in both the sky people and the Na'vi… and to her surprise, it was because of that difference that she started to feel her heart beat once more.__

"Refined you'll become the most dazzling precious treasure  
You'll be treasured over all the earth  


There was something about his laughter that got to her. It had awakened an old spirit in her… it had made a discovery of something that could be a priceless treasure…

_  
"You are in awe and in shock  
You're in love and given away  
You're reserved with these words:  
_

Jake loved flying, just like her. They both felt so free riding their _ikrans_ through the wind's path. It had been as she had flown through Eywa's bright blue skies that she realized the impossible: she had fallen in love with the dreamwalker, Jake Sully. ..

_  
"Can I tell you a story as we dance while the sun starts to bleed  
Trees rejoice with the wind here  
Hallelujah, Eywa…  
_

That night under the Tree of Voices, she had her prayers answered. Jake had chosen her and she had chosen him. She could still remember their first _tsahaylu_, the magic of being one in body and spirit with the man she loved…

_  
Tonight you've become the most dazzling precious  
You are treasured over all the earth  
_

She had thought that she had became the most treasured woman that night, but it was nothing to what she had felt when she saw her Jake return as _toruk makto_ after she had pushed him away out of shock and betrayal. He returned for her People; he returned for _her_. The sky people would kill him as a traitor if they caught him but he returned to her. He had given his life to her…

_Just look at what he's done  
How he's laying down his life  
Take this life_

_Oh most dazzling precious treasure_

Then again as she held his frail human hand during his transfer under the Tree of Souls, she was struck by just how much this dreamwalker, this sky person had done for her. He had learned to See and fought his people for her own. Jake had given all of himself to her clan, body and soul. He had become Na'vi for her. Even to the point in which he would pass through Eywa. And when Jake had opened his amber eyes, finally Na'vi body and soul, she realized just what a precious treasure he was and just how he had shown her that she herself was a dazzling treasure…_  
_

_Tonight you've become the most dazzling precious treasure  
You are treasure over all the earrrrth."_

As she held out the last soft note, Neytiri smiled down at her now sleeping daughter on her arms. It was thanks to that treasure, that love, she was now holding her most dazzling precious treasure.


	8. Two Worlds

**AN: Once again this takes place after the movie. But before the "Treasure" song fic. I may write this in an actual story format, but for now it's a song fic.**

**Two Worlds**

**(Tarzan Soundtrack)**

As future _Tshahik _of her clan, Neytiri has always had a strong sense of Eywa's love, balance and guidance. Even after her sister was murdered, she knew she could turn to the All Mother to help heal her wounds. Little did she knew that her goddess had a plan for her and her people… a plan that came in the very form that she had despised ever since her sister had been killed by the sky people -- a dreamwalker. And that dreamwalker, Jake Sully, tested everything she ever thought she knew. Because there was something different about this dreamwalker. It was that difference that led Eywa use him to fight for her People, the Na'vi, and ultimately become one with them. And that difference had caused her to follow her heart and fall in love with this man...

_Put your faith in what you most believe in  
Two worlds, one family  
Trust your heart  
Let fate decide  
To guide these lives we see_

Before she knew of the sky people's existence, all had been very simple, filled with love and peaceful. Now that the sky people have been exiled (with very few exceptions), things could almost return to those peaceful days… __

A paradise untouched by man  
Within this world blessed with love  
A simple life, we live in peace

She looked down to her stomach, a very small bump now barely noticeable. She grinned, allowing her feet to sink into the wet mud near the river in which she was now walking along. Jake wouldn't be all too happy that his mate had gone off on her own into the wild forest while she was with child, but Neytiri had just finally set down the boundary lines of 'protective' and '_over_protective' these past couple of months while they tried to adjust to the very idea of parenthood. Neytiri looked back up past the canopy and into the light blue sky. She thanked the All Mother for this wonder gift of life growing inside her, this wonder life that will be of two worlds but of one family… __

Softly tread the sand below your feet now  
Two worlds, one family  
Trust your heart  
Let fate decide  
To guide these lives we see  


Feeling a gentle and loving tug on her tail, Neytiri swirled around with a wide grin on her face. Jake jumped down from the tree in which he was in and gave her a sheepish grin before waving and running off so that she couldn't return the favor. Laughing, Neytiri chased after him only to have Jake somehow sneak up from behind her and kiss her under an ancient tree as a light clear rain started to fall…

_Beneath the shelter of the trees  
Only love can enter here  
A simple life, we live in peace  
_

They had found a new Hometree shortly after Neytiri had discovered her pregnancy. She remembered looking up at the new branches and leaves as she went to her and Jake's 'room' for the night. When Jake settled beside her, she confided that she missed her old Hometree, only to scold herself milliseconds after the words came out of her mouth. She knew Jake would only give her his pained, guilty look. He would only apologize for a crime long forgiven and not even fully his fault. But her mate surprised her by placing his forehead against hers so that their noses touched and whispered, "I know, love. I know." His hand gently went down to her still than flat stomach, reminding her that they _had_ to move on in their new Hometree so that the new life would have a place to call home…

_Raise your head up  
Lift high the load  
Take strength from those that need you  
Build high the walls  
Build strong the beams  
A new life is waiting  
But danger's no stranger here  
_

Shortly after that, a child had wondered off too far from the clan. Whole hunting parties had been sent out to look for the child, only to find a _palulukan_ tearing apart a tiny cobalt body a few miles away. The parents became withdrawn from the clan for a while, despite everyone's attempt to comfort them in the time of grief. Neytiri found herself having nightmares, crying out for the lost child, only to find a small, bloodied body which she immediately recognized as her own flesh and blood…

_No words describe a mother's tears  
No words can heal a broken heart  
A dream is gone, but where there's hope_

Jake had always awakened her, soothing her fear. He cupped her cheek with one hand as he rested the other on her stomach, telling her their child was perfectly safe. And during her waking hours, Neytiri would feel their child's growing conscience, their growing spirit and smile. They would be the best parents for this young life. Eywa would provide for her children. As long as Neytiri trusted her heart, she would be able to hear he child no matter who they turn to be or where they wonder… __

Somewhere something is calling for you  
Two worlds, one family  
Trust your heart  
Let fate decide  
To guide these lives we see


	9. Far Away

AN: This is Jake's return as _toruk makto_! It's in both Jake's and Neytiri's POV. This one was a little hard for some reason… tell me what you think!

"**Far Away"**

**Nickleback**

__The Great Shadow descended upon the clan, scattering the shocked and frighten Na'vi beneath the Tree of Souls. However, Neytiri's fear quickly turned into awe and love… she felt his spirit filled with deep sorrow yet reviving hope. Her best friend, her mate, had returned. Out of burning anger and grief she had told him to go away and never come back. She was glad he did not listen. Jake's gaze never left hers as he dismounted the _toruk_, the setting sun outlining his strong, warrior figure and reflecting off of his amber eyes… or was that his blazing spirit that she felt radiating from him? This legend, this hero had come to life. Neytiri shook her head. The awe still etched on her face. Yes, they had both made mistakes – horrible and irreversible mistakes. Jake hadn't warned of the sky people's plan for the destruction of their home sooner; Neytiri had pushed him away out of betrayal and didn't return for him when the great tree fell… but falling in love with each other had not been a mistake. And now in this moment after three long days Jake had returned…

_This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know  
_

The two Na'vi ignored the crowd of People, slowly walking towards each other. They only had eyes for each other. Jake had wanted nothing more than to just see those eyes again. They had been all he could think of as he had wallowed in that glass prison; the anger, the grief they had held as Neytiri pushed him away, wailing over her father's body. And Jake couldn't describe the hurt, the pain he had felt in that moment. He should have expected it; she had already rejected him in front of the clan after he revealed his knowledge of the RDA's plan. She had already left him and Grace tied up and doomed as the troops surrounded Hometree. And he had deserved it. But he loved her, Saw her. He had along. She had literally walked with him in his dreams, and now she was the one for whom he breathed for. And he wouldn't give that up without a fight…

_That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore_

He had betrayed the RDA and there was going to be hell to pay. Jake knew that. Quartitch wouldn't let him play _Dances with Wolves_ without a war. But that didn't matter. This place, this People was worth it. Neytiri was worth it. He'd give anything, everything he could to just to stay on this amazing planet by her side…

_On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know…_

They now stood face to face in the middle of the People. Neytiri and Jake hardly noticed. Their gaze were only on each other; soaking the moment in. Hesitantly, unsure of how Neytiri would react, Jake reached out and gently took hold of her arm. To his greatest relief and joy, Neytiri mirrored his action; grabbing hold of his own arms as if to make sure that she was really seeing him. Giving a small, genuine smile, Jake started to move his hands up her arms until they were holding each other just below their shoulders. Just the simple touch eased the pain of separation, of the loneliness…__

So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
But you know, you know, you know…  


The shock had finally faded from her eyes, now they held awe, love and forgiveness. Jake could feel her pain, her fear, but he could also feel her new hope. And when she spoke, her voice was beautifully calm and gentle…

"I See you…"

Jake couldn't have thought of a better response to that but his own feelings. Echoing her soft and loving tone, he replied, "I See you…"

_I wanted  
I wanted you to stay  
'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say…  
_

"I was scared Jake," the words came from Neytiri, her amber eyes wide with love… and also pleading. He had to understand why she had pushed him away, why she had been so torn apart at his revelation of his involvement in the destruction of their home. She had to explain why she hadn't listened to his pleads and had looked over his new found Sight of her – of _their_ -- world. "I was scared for my People… I'm not anymore."

Jake's eyes shone with his love and understanding, and Neytiri realized that in his eyes, he didn't forgive her – because in his eyes there was nothing to forgive. And she could tell that in his eyes he had felt her message of her own forgiveness, her own love. And in that moment, surrounded by their People beneath the Tree of Souls, they were the only ones that mattered. That moment, that embrace, that breath. Neither Jake nor Neytiri would ever let the moment go…

_That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long  
So keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go_


	10. We Are One

**AN: This had some Jake/ Neytiri, but it's mainly a father/ daughter moment for Jake and Sylwanin. Enjoy!**

_We Are One_

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride

"Daddy, Daddy!" Sylwanin exclaimed, climbing up to her father as she spotted him sitting still on one of Hometree's thick branches. Jumping up beside him, she recognized his relaxed posture and far off glaze in his bright amber eyes. Her hero was in deep thought. Curious, the young Na'vi spoke up. "What are you thinking about?"

Facing his daughter, Jake gave a small smile and reached for her hand. "I'm thinking about everything I have learned," he answered. "And I hope that in time you may learn these lessons too… though not the same way I did."

"Can't you just tell me now?" she asked, taking his hand and curling her tail around her body as she leaned comfortably against her father's side. Jake studied her eager eyes, clearly ready for a story. And yet he wasn't quite sure how to explain…

_As you go through life you'll see_

_There is so much that we_

_Don't understand_

Jake had never understood the war in Venezuela. He had never really understood why he had been injured so badly in the conflict. He had understood ever less of why his brother Tom had died. And he had certainly never planned on going to Pandora. He had never planned on falling in love.

To this day, he thanks Eywa for all that had come out of it. Through his loses he had found his gain. He had found a home and family once again…

_And the only thing we know_

_Is things don't always go_

_The way we planned_

Despite his wish for his son and daughter to never go through hard times, Jake knew that they were inevitable. Hopefully not to the same degree as he had gone through, but no matter what he was going to be there. The clan, the old avatar team, Neytiri and he would help them through…

_But you'll see every day_

_That we'll never turn away_

_When it seems all your dreams come undone_

And they had the strength to overcome whatever came their way. Thomas and Sylwanin were strong, body and spirit. And Jake would be there, hopeful and proud as he watched them. How could he not be? They were hischildren, his blood, his spirit. They were Neytiri's children, her blood, her spirit. The four of them were one. And they were one with the clan and one with Eywa…

_We will stand by your side_

_Filled with hope and filled with pride_

_We are more than we are_

_We are one_

Sylwanin knew that she wasn't the average Na'vi child. She knew of her alien heritage and how it separates her and her brother from the rest of the clan and she knew that the People loved them despite – or maybe even because- of it. She knew that she was the proof of a love between two unlikely People and therefore a bridge between their worlds. She knew also of how she was the daughter of the clan's leaders. She knew also that she was the daughter of _Toruk Makto_. She knew of the high expectations that would surely be on her. She knew who footsteps in which she would be trying to fill. Could she somehow find herself despite all that?

_If there's so much I must be_

_Can I still just be me_

_The way I am?_

And how much of what was to become of her was really in her control? Could she trust her own instincts, both that of the Na'vi and the Sky People in her? What did Eywa have in store for her? How could she balance her choices with her fate? Somehow her father had managed it…

_Can I trust in my own heart_

_Or am I just one part_

_Of some big plan?_

Father and daughter were lost in their own thoughts. Jake thought of all who made this life possible for him. His parents, Tom, Grace… they had all somehow shaped him into who he was today. Eytukan and Tsu'tey…they had both put up with him (and even managed to somewhat like him by the end). Though they were now gone, he could still feel them in spirit. He could feel them in the way they had impacted his life and in how he would impact his daughter's…

_Even those who are gone_

_Are with us as we go on_

_Your journey has only begun_

Yes, there had been pain. But yet, joy wasn't far behind. For such was this land's balance. No matter what, family still lived on. Both those alive and dead lived on through a family of one…

_Tears of pain, tears of joy_

_One thing nothing can destroy_

_Is our pride, deep inside_

_We are one_

The dead and the living. The people of Earth and the People of Pandora. They seemed like extreme opposites. And yet, here he was with children of his own. Children who were of two worlds. It was important that they understood this. They had to know that despite the differences and despite the past's battles, that they were part of each opposite and therefore created a whole. It was like the land and sky that created the one home in which they lived in…

_We are one, you and I_

_We are like the earth and sky_

_One family under the sun_

One day Jake's spirit would return his body to the land. Neytiri would pass her spirit through Eywa as she left her vessel. It would be up to Thomas and Sylwanin to become their own leaders within the clan. And it would take wisdom and courage. Wisdom and courage that came with one comfort. The comfort of being one. Neytiri and he were one. And they were one with their children. Their family was one with the People. And the People were one with Eywa. And Eywa was one with all things of the spirit.

Jake of course wasn't sure how to explain all of this to his young daughter who surely had her own journey of finding her identity among the People and within the world. And he was certain she wouldn't understand it right away. But it was important. Sylwanin would understand it someday, for she and Jake were apart of each other. Father and daughter were one.

_All the wisdom to lead_

_All the courage that you need_

_You will find when you see_

_We are one_


End file.
